October 20 Meeting Recap
Council Member Linea Palmisano and City of Minneapolis staff member Bob Cooper gave a quick update on the city budget process and Neighborhoods 2020 timeline. It is likely that the ANA will not know our 2021 city funding level until December. The board discussed how fall programs (the Fall Neighborhood Clean-up, Let’s Get Uncomfortable equity workshop, and Fall Food Truck Festival) went and plans for the upcoming Halloween Tour, which starts this Sudnay. The ANA will explore alternatives for lighting trees next to the rink at Armatage Park due to cost increases with out past vendor. A deeper discussion on the expectations and roles of the ANA Board and Committees will be on the agenda in November.
The Armatage Halloween Tour Starts Sunday
Sunday, October 25 – Saturday, October 31
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Enjoy the sights and frights around Armatage for our first-ever Halloween Tour! The self-guided tour is geared for all ages. We have 15 fabulous stops on this year’s tour map, which is available at armatage.org/halloweentour so you can plan your route. Please be respectful on your adventure and wear a mask and distance if you leave your vehicle.
After you’ve checked out every stop on the tour, head back to armatage.org/halloweentour and vote for your favorites in the following categories: Best Use of Pumpkins, Spookiest, and Neighborhood Favorite. The winning displays in each category will get a $50 gift card to an Armatage business. Open to all, even if you don’t live in Armatage.
Safe Trick or Treating
Looking to celebrate Halloween in a safe, socially distant way? Check out the Halloween Tour above and for the night of Halloween, follow these tips to keep you and your neighbors safe:
- Stay home and don’t hand out treats if you or anyone in your household feels sick.
- Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth and keep 6+ feet of distance from other trick-or-treaters and neighbors.
- Instead of a grab bowl or answering your door, have treats spaced out on a table in your yard or create a candy chute to send treats at a distance.
- Visit www.halloween2020.org for more ideas from the Harvard Global Health Institute and stay safe!
Street Sweeping Started This Week
Watch the progress. Sign up for notifications. Check for weather-related schedule changes. And learn the answers to all your street sweeping questions here.
Shelter for People Experiencing Homelessness
Partners from the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and State of Minnesota are coming together to help people experiencing homelessness find shelter as winter weather arrives. Here are a few facts – learn more and find phone numbers to call for shelter here.
- In 2002, 1,300 people experiencing homelessness and counting have found permanent housing.
- City, county, state and philanthropy will invest $55 million to open at least seven sites to provide emergency shelter, low-barrier housing and protective housing for people experiencing homelessness, as well as enhance existing shelters and expand support services and street outreach.
- An additional 670 units of very affordable housing designated for people experiencing homelessness will have opened or begun construction by the end of this year.
Vote Early or Drop off Your Absentee Ballot
Early voting has started at the Minneapolis Early Vote Center at 980 East Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55414. Hours are posted at https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/vote-early-in-person/ and please wear your mask!
Find a drop-off location for your absentee ballot: outdoor ballot drop-offs are open all over Minneapolis, including our nearest location at Mount Olivet Church at 50th & Knox. Check out the city’s interactive map with hours at https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot-drop-off/
Everyone in Minnesota is eligible to vote by mail, no reason needed. It’s quick and easy to request your absentee ballot online at bit.ly/vbmmn101. If you’re thinking of voting by mail, request your ballot as soon as possible and make a plan for dropping it off or mailing it back.
Transforming Community Safety Engagement Plan
The City Council approved a community engagement plan to get feedback on improving our public safety system, alternatives to policing and police responses, public health-oriented violence prevention, and law enforcement reforms and/or changes to protocols and practices. The plan has four phases and is led by the Office of Violence Prevention (read more here):
- Phase One (October-December 2020): A community survey and public forums. Initial findings and a draft vision will be presented to the City Council in early December.
- Phase Two (January-March 2021): Public forums to review the goals established in the first phase plus a deeper dive into ideas for a new public safety model.
- Phase Three (April-May 2021): Opportunities to offer feedback on draft recommendations at public forums and online.
- Phase Four (June-July 2021): Finalize recommendations, incorporate feedback gathered throughout the engagement process, and give a final report to the City Council on strategies for building a new model for community safety.
Borrow the Neighborhood Thermal Camera
As the weather gets colder, we all feel the drafts and air leaks at our homes, rentals and businesses a bit more. Thanks to a project in the neighborhood led by Armatage resident Milo Oien-Rochat, you can check out our neighborhood’s shared thermal camera to pinpoint temperature-related energy waste in your home, business, or apartment.
Visit https://armatage.org/programs/thermal-camera/ to learn more and sign up to get a quick tutorial and check out the camera this fall. This project was funded by the Armatage Mini Grant program.
Sign up for Rec Plus at Armatage Park
Rec Plus provides school-age childcare for children in grades K-6 at Armatage Park from 2pm-6pm. Rec Plus operates after school, on school release days and during the summer.
Program components have been modified to meet CDC and MDH guidelines, including mask requirements for staff and children in accordance with Executive Order 20-81. Activities have been modified for social distancing and include games, sports, arts and crafts, and nutritious snacks. For more information please see the MPRB’s website or email Kasey at kcollver@minneapolisparks.org with any questions!
Fall Food Truck Night Thank You
Thank you to everyone who braved the cold and long lines for our Fall Food Truck Night on Sunday, October 18! We were so excited to see over 200 neighbors at the park to enjoy food from Thumbs Cookies, Gerhard’s Brats and La Tortilla Catering. Thanks to our vendors and to Armatage Park for hosting us. Until next time, neighbors!